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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29839566">"that there officer be gnc af" / "YOU'RE INSANE"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/phaseshifter/pseuds/phaseshifter'>phaseshifter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>misukazu week 2021! [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A3! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Play: Captain Sky's Pirates (A3!), Pre-Relationship, So True, cursing, nawh it's literally just that, skypaul</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:08:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,708</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29839566</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/phaseshifter/pseuds/phaseshifter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>paul's a little closed off as a newest member of the pirate crew</p><p>( mskz week - day 3 sky/paul ! pls read the notes for more information )</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Captain Sky/Paul, Ikaruga Misumi/Miyoshi Kazunari</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>misukazu week 2021! [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191824</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>"that there officer be gnc af" / "YOU'RE INSANE"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>stop i am literally. i have never written this much dialogue before godbless</p><p>READ: setting is based on natsugumi’s version of sky pirates in misumi’s ssr! if you don’t know how it goes, look up "Misumi SSR Triangle Explorer Backstage Story" on youtube for reference yayayay</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Chanderute?” Paul looks up from the newspaper he asked Johnny to grab from the market. </p><p>(Those things aren’t free. Johnny stole it.)</p><p>“You guys are trying to reach <em> Chanderute </em>? Do you know how long it’ll take to get there?” </p><p>Sky let out a loud bellow of laughter. Paul doesn't really know if it's because there's something funny, or if Sky is just like that.</p><p>"How else are we goin' to meet that royal family o’ Chanderute? 'S not like they're gunna come to us."</p><p>He scoffs, closing the newspaper he didn’t know was stolen, and leaving it on top of the barrel he was sitting on. “What are you going to do? Ask them to compensate for the buried treasure you couldn’t find?”</p><p>“Ye be a bit sharp with that tongue of yours there, huh, Officer? Extra sharp.” Francoise remarks with her chin high and arms folded.</p><p>He glares. <em> Pirates </em>. One part of him wants to snap at her; the other tells him to resist and take a deep breath.</p><p>If he wanted to stay with the crew, he’d have to at least <em> try </em> to get along with them. “I’m just saying: you don’t want to mess with royalty. There's no point especially with that distance!"</p><p>“Spoiler alert, hot shot: they be my family.” </p><p>Oh. </p><p>"<em> You're </em> royalty? You're telling me the fucking <em> Bloody Henry </em> is royalty?"</p><p>"I've always entertained th’ thought," Henry sighs fondly. "I never thought it be true, but…" </p><p>He pulls something out of his pocket as well as a necklace hidden underneath his blouse, "This here treasure says it all."</p><p>Sky startles Paul before he could inspect the insignia by casually slapping a hand onto his shoulder; "We found it just a' few moments before ye caught us in that there cave, Officer!"</p><p>"The cave..?" He feels his cheeks heat up, swatting Sky's hands away in a quick motion. </p><p>"Son of a… Paul—!"</p><p>"Do you <em> really </em>need to go?" </p><p>(Sky whimpers dejectedly)</p><p>Henry locks eyes with Paul’s with a fiery determination. </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>It’s Paul who looks away in an exasperated defeat. “..Fine. I know easier ways to get there.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sky watches the rest of the crew head to the city to gather and bargain what they needed for the long trip. </p><p>“You’re not going with them?” Paul asks under the narrow shade of the mast.</p><p>He turns to smile at Paul. What was it that Henry called him earlier? Hot shot? “Someone’s gotta be looking after this fine ship ‘ere, don’t cha think?”</p><p>Paul inspects the ship as a response. Now, Sky may be a bit dumb, but not dumb enough to not notice the unimpressed eyebrow Paul raises when he faces Sky again. </p><p>“<em> Fine </em> ship?” </p><p>Sky pouts on instinct. "Y'know, Officer, I was plannin' to give ye a lil' <em> thanks </em> for yer help earlier, but 'm beginning to think ya don't need it."</p><p>Paul suddenly looks serious — the awkward kind. "Sorry."</p><p>Sky blinks. Surprised. "Hey now; ye know I was kiddin', right? 'Course I- we appreciate yer help,'' He cautiously walks closer to him. "Ye okay there, Officer?"</p><p>He notices how Paul's shoulders remain tense as he stands straight to turn to the direction of the office the crew gathered in moments ago. "I'll go revise the route again. Make sure there isn't any mistakes. You should get back to watching over the ship."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The sun is on its way to setting, and Henry's one of the first to come back with his arms full of goods. He's exiting the storage when he finds Sky whistling alone at the front of the ship, clearly <em> very </em> bored. </p><p>"You look like yer having fun," he's met with a groan. "Somethin' wrong?" An even louder groan. "Y'know what? I don't even wanna know-"</p><p>"Henryyy.."</p><p>"Christ.."</p><p>Before Henry could speed walk away, Sky already has a firm grip on his forearm. "Captain."</p><p>"Henry, Henry, Henry, Henry," he's practically whining now. Like a little kid who was nudged a little bit, causing him to drop his ice cream cone and watched a horse carriage trample it over and excluding it from the 5 second rule. </p><p>(Henry actually saw it happen today. The horror in the kid's face. Felt.)</p><p>"Captain, if ye lost another one of yer fuckin' flasks, I be tempted to throw you into the ocean there and then."</p><p>There's a pause in Sky's whining, where the captain fills the silence with his audible hunt for his hip flask.</p><p>There's a relieved huff, before; "HENRY..!"</p><p>"I been standing 'ere and ye haven't said shit, Captain. Spit it out."</p><p>"Aye, hold on," Sky sniffles (<em> was he sobbing? </em>) and stands up, eyes suddenly scanning the vicinity. He hunches over, like he was tellin’ a secret. "I think th' officer Paul thinks I be somewhat incompetent.."</p><p>Henry is quick to remember the fact Sky was <em> just </em> searching for the 10th flask he bought him this week. "Have you ever considered he might be r-"</p><p>"What happened ta camaraderie, soldier!?" Sky folds his arms defiantly. "As Cap'n of this ship, it's time I be askin' for respect."</p><p>"Will you get to the point?"</p><p>"Right. While you and th' rest of th' crew were out, I naturally sought out methods to build somethin' with th' Officer, y'know." </p><p>A sigh. "But he.. well, it's not as if he ever said no, but it felt tha' way."</p><p>Henry thinks there's no harm in answering with sincerity. They've gone through enough to know when was the time for laughs, and when was the time for being a little honest.  "Think reasonably, Captain," he says, rubbing the spot where Sky had gripped his arm. It didn't hurt, but it was nice to keep your hands busy.</p><p>"Th' man's just new is all. And different too. It's not e'ryday ye switch between workin' for the navy and randomly joining yer enemy group o' pirates after they save you."</p><p>"That be right, Henry," Sky smiles smugly. "Yer Cap'n was pretty cool for that."</p><p>Henry rolls his eyes. "He jus' needs to adjust, I feel. 'S only a matter of time 'fore word gets out that an Officer dubbed missin' is actually alive and kickin' wi' the thieves."</p><p>"We have to do somethin' about that," Sky says in earnest. He stops to fidget with his fingers a little bit. "..Am I allowed to ask of somethin' selfish from you?"</p><p>"Ye do that all the time, Cap'n. Without permission, too."</p><p>"Aye, but.." he hesitates. "If ye really are what you say ye are — royalty, I mean — d'you think it be possible for any charges against Paul lifted?"</p><p>"..How long has Captain been thinkin' about this?"</p><p>Sky's cheeks are turning vaguely red. Henry can't tell if it's from the act of asking the request, or having to confess he was trying to have it all planned out. </p><p>"Mayb' ever since I asked Paul t' stay y'know." </p><p>So a week and a half ago..?</p><p>Henry takes note of Francois' arrival with her share of garments. From the corner of his eye he registers Johnny exiting the storage room, and Paul on the other side of the ship inspecting the wheel. </p><p>"If ya want me to be honest, I don't know how that stuff works, Cap'n, and it really be soundin' unrealistic." Sky looks embarrassed for having such a far fetched idea. "..But, if the reunion works out, I'll try.”</p><p>"Really?" His eyes brighten up and begin to resemble the color of the sunset behind him. </p><p>“Aye. And for us too. I know ye like the freedom and thrill of th’ job, but if ye ever change yer mind..”</p><p>Sky pulls Henry in for a warm embrace, cheering a stream of <em> thank you </em>s, and Henry realizes that this crew is, although in its own form chaotic, a place he could come home to, royalty or not.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Paul?" Francois is fixing her hair in front of the mirror when Henry mentions the man. "What about Paul? I don't trust 'im, is all I can say."</p><p>"But ye heard him that day, didn'cha? All that bad at acting shit," Henry supplies. "We've both <em> technically </em> acted before. Blackbeard an' Francois, Blood Henry and.. jus' Henry. Seems to me he was tellin' the truth."</p><p>"Yes, but," Francois huffs in frustration. The lighting of the quarters is dim — they're planning to purchase for oil tomorrow morning — and she finds almost everything she does for her hair is blatantly unsatisfactory. </p><p>"Circumstances change, ya realize that, don'tcha, Mr. Prince? One day, that there officer be helping us find our way 'cross the unfamiliar seas, but what if th' forces catch up ta us an' he has to choose between us pirates or th' navy again?" Looking through the reflection, she can see Henry shrug in understanding. </p><p>"He's not trustworthy, but he's not untrustworthy either."</p><p>"I get it."</p><p>"Do you?" Francois asks as she straightens herself only to hate what she sees in the reflection. "Fuck."</p><p>She's combing her fingers through her hair again, looking for a suitable half because the usual just wasn't working. </p><p>"Yer probly the most hostile 'towards him though, y'know," Henry says, and he's right. </p><p>"Ye expect me to be nice to him? We're lucky we even hav' this ship. Who was th' reason our previous one burned down?" </p><p>"They were chasin' you in th' first place."</p><p>"And you too!"</p><p>"..No, not really."</p><p>She huffs, because Henry's right again. She can't win <em> anything </em> right now. Not her hair, and not even this silly discussion with her crewmate.</p><p>It's too late for any of this. She's tired. </p><p>Her hair can wait, and so can winning. If Sky accepted her into the crew even if she joined just to lie to him to escape, then she's no different from Paul, really. </p><p>"So? Is there anything ye want me to do?"</p><p>She turns to face Henry in defeat, hair all over the place.</p><p>Henry smiles, looking at her fondly, before; "Give 'im a chance alright? If we wan' him to stay loyal, he 'as to feel welcome, right?"</p><p>"Right."</p><p>"..Your hair is lovely, by the way."</p><p>"Shut the fuck up, Prince."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Johnny is close to finishing his climb up the ladder that leads to the crow's nest of the ship when the wind blows on his ear, and he feels a shiver run down his spine. </p><p>He stops in his movements when the wind vibrations practically<em> rock </em>, like a cough or something. </p><p>He can't stay still for too long though. His hands may be used to climbing, but by god he's been carrying shit all day. He deserves to be alone here, at the top—</p><p>The thing resembling a cough comes back again, and Johnny is tempted to just go back down to his room with Henry and Francois.</p><p>What the fuck is that? </p><p>
  <em> Cough, cough. </em>
</p><p>"G-Ghost?!" He cries out loud.</p><p>He's met with a kind of groan as a response. Holy shit. </p><p>"Ghost—!"</p><p>"Who the fuck.. Johnny?" </p><p>He blinks, having recognized the voice. </p><p>"Paul?"</p><p>The blonde's face pokes out to look down at the ladder — though, Johnny can barely see him really, what with the evening dark sky making it difficult to see without a light.</p><p>He finishes his climb up, holding the railings to steady himself from the heavy weight of gravity pulling down on him after being on the ladder for too long. "Fancy seein' you here, Officer!"</p><p>Johnny watches the way the moonlight that frames Paul's face move about as Paul scrunches his eyebrows. "..Right. What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Sometimes this here Crow's Nest be a nice place to take a breather sometimes, ya know," he admits wholeheartedly, before pulling out a packet of chips he managed to get from the market. "G'nna have a lil' midnight snack. Ya want some?"</p><p>"I'll pass."</p><p>"Mmph. More for me," Johnny scooches over so he's in a more steady position. "What about you? Why're you here?"</p><p>"It's quiet," Paul answers — and then he takes a look at Johnny chomping at the biscuits. "Well, not anymore."</p><p>"It's quiet downstairs too, isn't it?" Johnny takes a glance down at the main deck of the ship. It's empty, but that doesn't erase the fact the lights are still on for both the captain's cabin and crew quarters. </p><p>"People are less likely to interrupt the silence when you're up here," Paul says smoothly. "If I stayed down, someone's bound to leave their room just to ask something from someone else."</p><p>Johnny blinks, trying to process the information. "A lot of words in one sentence but.. I think I get it."</p><p>It becomes quiet, with Paul visibly relaxing under the evening air, and Johnny enjoying the sight of the moon high up above. Along the way, he'd managed to tone down his chewing, just to relish the peace that contrasted the hustle and bustle of the market.</p><p>"Are you happy with the crew?" He suddenly asks. His voice startles Paul, being unusually loud especially to a man that loves silence. </p><p>There's a pause, before; "Yes. Why?"</p><p>Johnny finds himself shrugging. "Y'don't seem that way sometimes. It's a lil bit of a shame — I think th' Captain was really lookin' forward to you joinin."</p><p>"The Captain?"</p><p>"You know how' he is! Unpredictable," Johnny smiles proudly. "That's th' Captain alright! When you first parted ways from us, we'd start complainin' but every now an' them he'd talk about how cute you were."</p><p>"Huh."</p><p>"Everyone was a bit noisy that time. Can't recall much, really."</p><p>(Paul's still registering the idea Sky was complimenting him even when he was nothing but an Enemy to them.)</p><p>Johnny thinks back on it as a fond memory — just as every memory he has had with the crew, really. Francois was in a panic asking for the next plan of action; Henry was trying to relay orders to change course and Sky..</p><p>
  <em> "Did ya' see that Officer leading them, Johnny? The finest man I've ever seen. If he hadn't pointed a gun at me I would have asked him out on the spot." </em>
</p><p>"Ok, that's enough," Paul interrupts the thought process. Was Johnny talking out loud? "I said I wanted silence, didn't I? Out."</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"Johnny."</p><p>"Ye consider us both friends, right?" Paul seems taken aback by this. He doesn't say a word, and Johnny sees it as a sign to keep going. "We've had our differences in th' past, but people change."</p><p>He doesn't say anything after that. Just a few more seconds of silence at the Crow's Nest. </p><p>"If you think that way," Paul's voice is low and wavering; as if he didn't <em> want </em> to say this out loud. "Why do you guys insist on calling me Officer?"</p><p>Johnny blinks. "Why not?"</p><p>"Because I'm not one - anymore, I mean. You said people change, but act like I haven't. The crew always act cautious with me.. It's like I'm not a part of you guys in the first place."</p><p>Oh.</p><p>"I mean, callin' ye Officer 'as a nice ring to it," Johnny admits. "It's like when Henry calls me a dumbass-"</p><p>"That's.. a bad thing."</p><p>"-or when Francois calls me a hack."</p><p>Paul looks at Johnny incredulously — but he seems to try to take his words to heart. </p><p>"So Officer is an.. affectionate insult, is what you're telling me?"</p><p>Johnny shrugs as he begins to lick the fingers where remnants of salt from his biscuits lingered.</p><p>"And th' caution.." he continues. "..Y'can't blame us for that, can ye?"</p><p>"No, not really."</p><p>"But Sky and I think yer cool. Henry to an extent, maybe. Francois can come off as harsh, but she means well, I promise."</p><p>Paul seems to be deep in thought, and Johnny may be imagining it, but he thinks he's broken down some walls Paul built up.</p><p>"I hafta go," he makes his way to the ladder. "'M throat feels dry, and 'm sleepy. You should get some rest too."</p><p>Paul doesn't look like he'll miss him, but he doesn't take offense to that. 'Cuz it's Paul. "Right.. And Johnny?"</p><p>"Mm?"</p><p>"To answer your question earlier.. Yes, I do think we're friends. And thank you."</p><p>Johnny smiles at him and does a little salute, before climbing down the ladder to reach his chambers and hope to the royal family of Chanderute that Francois and Henry were sound asleep by the time he was back.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sky feels like he has to be careful with every step he takes whenever Paul is around.</p><p>Before he could reach out to tap at Paul's back, the man turns to face him. "Sky?"</p><p>"Paul!" Sky sputters, practically throwing instead of handing him the bag. "I had Francois buy a buncha clothes for th' crew — with you as a priority, since yer new, and I can't have ye borrowing stuff from me all th' time."</p><p>Paul inspects the bag's design, not really paying heed to the contents. “Thanks, Captain.”</p><p>“Though, y’don’t look that half-bad in mine clothes either."</p><p><em>That </em>stirs up a reaction. The blonde sends a confused glance at Sky’s general direction, eyes travelling up and down his figure. “..Your clothes don't even fit you."</p><p>(Sky’s wardrobe largely consists of things too big for him. He likes it that way though — Francois calls it impractical, but he enjoys the feeling of the breeze on his skin and the water at his feet)</p><p>"Yer right, but while you look half-decent, I look absolootly stunnin' in them!"</p><p>“Are you trying to start something?” </p><p>Sky lets out a laugh.</p><p>(Paul thinks it’s too loud for the morning, but if he wants to be a part of the crew, he supposes he has to get used to it.)</p><p>Paul expects him to leave, but Sky remains where he is, fidgeting with his free hands.</p><p>“Y’know,” His face turns serious. There was nothing menacing about it - rather, it was as if he wasn’t the resident goofball of the crew. “It’s been more than a few days since ye joined, right? And yet yer always keepin’ distance from us."</p><p>Paul doesn't say anything. He doesn't think he's supposed to. Listening is enough.</p><p>"As Cap’n, and as th’ person who invited ye to join this here crew, it’s my responsibility to make ye feel welcomed. I dunno if ya need some formal invitation or something but.. ye should join the conversation more often, Paul.” Sky sends a toothy grin his way. It’s bright, like the feeling of the sun when you just woke up. </p><p>Silence.</p><p>“..Don’t you guys need time?” Paul says hesitantly, taking a sip from the bottle, only to remember he’s been doing that to the hollow thing even before Sky's arrival. “To adjust to me, I mean. You guys gathering to plan shit feels like an inner circle type of thing.” </p><p>“Do you not consider yourself a part of us?” </p><p>The ex-navy officer sighs. He already had a talk like this with Johnny. But Johnny isn’t the captain, and the Captain is the reason why he’s standing here today. He deserves to know.</p><p>“Do <em> you </em>?” He has to ask. “Don’t you think it’s too soon to be letting me in? Shouldn’t you be hating me, or something?”</p><p>The Captain looks at the floor in contemplation. Paul does too, and there’s a space between their silhouettes that mimick the way Paul feels after what he said. He has to take a deep breath before continuing: “I don’t want to force myself in, y’know. Maybe it’s for the best for all of you.”</p><p>“And is that why ye just sit in the corner with yer little newspaper u ask us to fetch for you?” </p><p>Paul laughs, and it’s both from the humor and truth. </p><p>“And here I thought you was tryin’ to catch up to the news. Stay informed an’ all that,” Sky smiles at him; Paul doesn’t see it. “Tryin’ to look smart when really yer just a coward?”</p><p>“I actually do read them, you know.”</p><p>“Whatever. Come with me,” Sky suddenly says. Paul has every reason to say no. He doesn’t. </p><p>Sky leads them both to his office, where a map of the world is pinned on the wall behind to the desk. It has Paul’s handwriting in pencil in parts of it, as well as notes written on scrap paper pinned on top of the actual map. You could make out the arrows in the ocean, and the circles that gradually became bigger and bigger until it reached Chanderute. </p><p>“Henry don’t seem like ‘t, but he’s a sentimental person,” Sky circles the desk while tracing the vaguely worn out map. He faces Paul then, with another smile. “He trusts ye with this family thing,  y’know.” He taps the wall for extra measure. “Even if yer a Navy Officer, he kicked yer ass th’ other day, right? If you do the same, especially withis..”</p><p>“Is that a threat?” Paul laughs, lightly, but it makes Sky’s heart flutter. “Captain, I thought you were supposed to be comforting me.”</p><p>“Henry ‘san independent man. Even as Cap’n I can’t control him,” He says it like a fact. “Just like Francois, an’ Johnny – Johnny likes ta follow me ‘tho.” A pause. “If ye join us, and I mean <em> really </em>join us, you can be like that too.”</p><p>Paul stands at the doorway awkwardly, and it seemed to him Sky had suddenly become avoidant of his gaze. He can suddenly picture little dog ears on the man’s head, and a wagging tail waiting for validation. </p><p>He sighs. “I get it, stop looking so sad.”</p><p>“Really?” God, he’s like a puppy.</p><p>“You’re annoying, you know that?” Paul says, walking closer to the captain and ignoring the warm feeling in his chest when he took a look at Sky and his genuine smile.</p><p>The Captain smirks confidently, clearly immune to such comments at this point. “It’s my biggest charm, really.”</p><p>Paul thinks about the little story time he had with Johnny the previous night. He wants to shake off how giddy it makes him, because the sense of belonging he suddenly got was already too much — but it’s hard to resist the urge to smile, fond and slowly becoming relieved of restrictions.</p><p>“You’re right about one thing.”</p><p>“What was that?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Paul says. “Anyways, I’m expecting my newspaper soon. It shouldn’t take that long to buy something and come back.”</p><p>“...Y’know those’re stolen, right?”</p>
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